Piedmont is a tiny and delightful city, surrounded by the larger metropolis of Oakland. Though it is completely encircled by its neighbor, Piedmont is its own municipality, with its own school system, government, and public services. Piedmont came into its own following the 1906 earthquake, when San Franciscans left the city seeking sunnier pastures and decided to settle in the then-rural East Bay. By the 1920s, this small town was known as the “City of Millionaires,” because it had the most millionaires per square mile in the United States. Many of their mansions still stand in Piedmont, and newer estates have also been built in the intervening decades. You’ll find options including Tudors, Spanish Colonial Revivals, large Craftsman bungalows, as well as contemporary masterpieces, many with stunning views. It’s an easy trip to nearby Oakland for dining and shopping, since Piedmont is only 1.7 square miles big.